1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new hypoglycemic agent obtained from a crude drug, Anemarrhenae rhizoma which is so-called "Chimo".
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chimo, Anemarrhenae rhizoma which has been used as a crude drug is a bulb of "Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge" which is a plant of the Liliaceae family growing wild in China.
It has been known that an aqueous extract of Chimo, when administered orally, give hypoglycemic effect on normal or alloxan diabetic rabbits, and alloxan diabetic or anti-insulin serum diabetic mice (Masayasu Kimura, "Nippon Rinsho" 25, 2841 (1967)). Several synthetic oral drugs and insulin have been used so far as hypoglycemic agents in treating diabetes mellitus which is said to be one of modern diseases increasing. However, in some occasions, synthetic oral hypoglycemic agents give side effects such as serious hypoglycemia or lactic acidosis. Furthermore, synthetic oral hypoglycemic agents are not effective for juvenile diabetes mellitus. Insulin is recognized to be the most effective hypoglycemic agent. However, the use of insulin is accompanied by a diet cure and an exercise cure under strict management of a doctor, because insulin is required to be administered parenterally and has side effects such as hypoglycemia, allergy and the like. Therefore, there is a continuing need for therapeutic agents which are effective for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and which are safe and easily applicable.